Ripples In A Golden Moon
by Luna.T.Lawliet
Summary: Mr Gold watches a young woman, who has proclaimed him her only friend, from afar while she's in the forest. He can remember her from before the curse but all she has is a selection of dreams to go by. He has enough of being apart from her but can he jog her memory? Will she remember him? Rumplestiltskin/OC. Better than it sounds.


_**So... What's the good thing about having Sky+? **_

_**It means that I could record the whole series of Once upon a time and watch them in a few days... Suddenly, one of my favourite TV shows of all time. Rumours have it that it begins on the 30th September, Can't wait!**_

_**Anyway, If you know me, you will know that I like weird creatures and men in my programmes... strange but true. Of course, Rumpelstiltskin captured my heart almost instantly so, within an hour, this was conjured up.  
**_

_**Hope you enjoy it!  
**_

* * *

She wondered around the thick forest which surrounded the small town of Storybrooke, her fingers brushing the mossy trees as she passed while she looked towards the sky, looking up towards the shining orb which offered a little light in the night sky. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, her expression smoothing to one of complete contentment though, unknown to her, she was being watched from the shadows. He'd been watching her from afar for years, never aging and never changing.

Unlike all the townspeople who either feared or hated him, she showed him kindness. At the same time, every day, she would show up at his pawnshop to speak to him. Sometimes, she even invite him around to her home for dinner which caused the tongues of all the locals to wag but she didn't seem to care. Instead, she continued to do so which caused him great pain.

He could remember his moon. When he was the 'Dark One' and she was a child of the moon. It pained him to know that she would never remember him, not until the curse was broken. The damn curse, the one thing keeping them apart.

Closing his eyes, he allowed his mind to go back. To remember how they once were.

Perching on the roof of the grand estate, Luna silently basked in the soft silver glow of the moon, smooth melodies flowing from the end of her pan flute and wrapped themselves around her. Their embrace, as well as the thick emerald cloak she wore, kept her warm in spite of the cool breeze which was blowing through the forest surrounding the manor house. It looked as though the trees were dancing along with her. Unknown to that young woman, a pair of golden eyes were watching her from the shadows, gleaming in the dim light provided. To him, she was the most beautiful creature he'd ever captured.

* * *

_Her hair flowed down her back in soft curls of pure chocolate, shimmering ever so slightly as they swayed sight to side. Her skin, like ivory porcelain, seemed to glow as she sat there and played her instrument. The white gown that he'd given her complimented her complexion flawlessly, serving as a constant reminder as to what she was. _

_The only thing in the whole world that could possible destroy him. _

_Her. _

_In the decades she'd been his prisoner/companion/lover, his heart had been won over by her though their souls could never truly be combined in the way they wished them to be. His was nothing more than a festering shadow upon his heart. Despite his gold coloured skin and topaz eyes, he was the furthest thing from precious. However, hers was made of pure moonlight. It's intensity was enough to kill the darkness within him, to the point where she was more of a threat; that wasn't a good enough reason to release her. _

_Shaking his head to rid himself of such thoughts, he carefully crept towards her with the hope that he would catch her off guard but alas, that didn't happen. The moment he stepped into the light, the music stopped and before he knew it, he was staring into her blue eyes, so similar to the sapphire that hung around her neck. Unlike any other, her painted lips pull up at the corners into a soft smile as she approaches him, their gazes never leaving the other. _

"_Rumple... To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" she asked, still glided towards him. It never ceased to amaze him how she could force the light to move with her, making the single beam track her path towards him. Once she was an few inches away, her arms wound themselves around his neck as his hands found their way to her hips, clutching the material between his hands. _

"_I saw that my wayward moonbeam had left the library, despite my ordering her to stay there, so I came to look for you." he whispered, his lips brushing her ear briefly. His warm breath was enough to send a single shiver down her spine, causing her to quiver in his arms. Grinning at her reaction, he pressed a kiss to her neck before pulling back to watch her face. Her eyes had fluttered closed, hiding the vast ocean from his piercing view, and her lips were slightly parted. _

"_My love..." _

"_Ah ah ah. None of that foolishness tonight dearest. I do believe that you were going to sing a little song for me. That was our deal."_

"_But, for a song of mine, a story of yours is to be given in return." Luna reminded him. With a nod, she smiled brightly before pulling away from him. She raised the silver instrument to her lips and began to play something so sweet that he closed his eyes, allowing the tune to wash over him like an ocean. _

* * *

"Of all of my children, the best is the stage and on it's floors, I see the moon light. The tendrils of summer are the ones that still stay with white oceans so wide, winged rays of pale moonlight. Please, take me up to my real home." The young woman sang, pulling the man out of his trance. His eyes remained glued to her as he leant heavily on his cane, his leg throbbing from the constant standing about. Sighing quietly, she turned around, only to freeze at the sight of him.

For a moment, she swore that her friend's skin had turned a shimmering gold, his eyes no longer a deep chocolate brown but a bright topaz colour however, when she took a step closer, he was back to normal. Mr Gold, the pawnbroker, her only friend in the whole town, the man she had grown attached to over the years. The man she had grown to love. Not the man who had haunted her dreams for God knows how long.

"M-Mr Gold... W-What are you doing here?" she stuttered, her cheeks staining a deep crimson colour at the realisation that he had heard her singing. Instead of answering, he limped a few steps forward and resting a hand on her cheeks, his thumb softly caressing her skin.

"Please... Tell me that you remember me." He pleaded, looking deep into her eyes but they only flooded with confusion. She had no idea what he was speaking about.

"Do you have strange dreams dearest? Things you can't explain?" How had he known? How could he possibly know about all the nights she woke up, tears flowing down her cheeks and her heart aching? She felt bound so tightly to the man there, the golden skinned man with matted hair.

"Y-Yes."

"Do you know who I am?"

"M-Mr G-G-Gold."

"Think again."

How could he expect her to think when he was standing so close to her? His hand on her skin, the gentle touches he was giving her, was enough to distract her so completely that she hardly heard his words but she tried. Staring at him, Luna thought back to the dream that had forced her to the forest that evening.

* * *

_She was sitting beside a grand fireplace, settled down in the arms of her lover while he spoke calmingly to her, his voice warm and his words coated in a light Scottish accent that she adored. _

"_There was this girl, her soul made completely of moonlight, who wished to make a deal with the dark trickster of the land. Upon asking her what it was that she so desired, the one thing which fulfilled her heart to the point of wanting his help, she responded plainly. 'I no longer wish to belong to my mother.' Of course, the man was confused but he couldn't allow such an opportunity to pass him by so he struck a deal with her. 'I will free you from your mother's possession...' he told her, knowing exactly what would follow. ' but to be free from her, you must bind yourself to me.'"_

"_She must have been terrified." Luna said, smiling as his arms tightened their hold on her, pulling her closer to his chest where she rested comfortably. _

"_At first, it appeared so Deary. She barely left the room he had given her, only leaving to eat or spend time on the roof at night where she would gaze at the moon. Then, as time passed by, she grew to accept her situation. From there, a beautiful friendship bloomed though the trickster found himself lacking something. He had fallen in love with the maiden of the moonlight. However, luck was in his favour as..."_

* * *

"She returned his feelings back to him. The love between them only grew, making their powers weaker. Golden scales slowly turned to flesh. White hair darkened to a deep brown yet neither of them could care. The only thing that mattered was the love between them." Gold murmured softly, breaking her out of the reservoir she had found herself falling in to.

Realisation crashed over her like a cold wave as she stared at him. Everything came flooding back. The songs. The stories. The nights where they would both lay under the moon and whisper kind words to the other. When he would sit at his wheel, snapping at her to fetch more straw to make more Gold then he could ever spend.

"Rumpelstiltskin..."

"Luanna." Grinning widely, she threw herself into his open arms, burying her face into the side of his neck while he chuckled, relief filling his body. It felt good to have her in his arms once again.

"I c-can't... you were... he was... I missed you so much." she whispered in his ear.

"I missed you too Deary. I missed you too."


End file.
